


No Prayer Like Desire

by Somniate



Category: Original Work
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Memory Alteration, Memory Loss, Other, Superheroes, Supervillains, Tags May Change, Warnings May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:13:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26429194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somniate/pseuds/Somniate
Summary: Jenny doesn't remember anything beyond five years ago. The woman who takes care of her, Vivian Montclair, says that she doesn't need to worry about it. For the most part, she doesn't. It's always hard to think about it, anyway.Until Vivian decides she's bored of Jenny, and gives her away to the Prinx of Cats, one of the supervillains in the coalition Vivian leads.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Original Female Character/Original Nonbinary Character
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My sweetheart and I started this as an RP, and at some point I went "This would... probably be a good story." and I started the process of making it one. There'll be new tags as the story demands, and if anyone has suggestions, I'll definitely pay attention.
> 
> Jenny is probably the partial result of the one moll that Two-Face had in Batman Forever. But add a dash of angst and a lot of fic I read when Winter Soldier came out. I hope you enjoy.

It’s Jenny’s whole job to pay attention to Vivian Montclair’s mood, so when Vivian starts acting distant, Jenny starts damage control. Possibly it's work, possibly it's stress, but Jenny is here specifically for stress relief. That's her job, that is what she does. It's part of Vivian taking care of her. Vivian told her that if she didn't like it, she could always take her chances with anyone else at the meetings. 

(Except some part of her that's near the surface of the ocean of missing memories, that part of her says that Vivian Montclair would not let anyone leave that she didn't want to let leave. Jenny doesn't feel this intuition a great deal, but when she does feel it, she trusts it.) 

She cuddles Vivian, she massages her back, she is attentive. When breakfast comes around and Jenny has her bowl of yogurt and berries and her little collection of vitamins, she leaves a little bit of yogurt left, to show Vivian that she isn't being greedy. She always has a smile for her Mistress, she lies still at night and tries not to roll around a lot. 

One night Vivian fucks her, but the other woman is distracted and Jenny doesn't come. Vivian does, and she gives Jenny a distant smile, and pats her hair. That night Vivian looks at her tablet, and Jenny feels like a fool. Well, of course Vivian is distracted, one of the monthly meetings was coming up. 

In the morning, Vivian doesn't pay her much mind. Jenny counts out her assorted collection of pills. She does her daily skincare routine, and by the time she's finished and feeling good and lovely, one of the employees of the hotel brings up their breakfast. Jenny wonders if she's going to get to see the Chemist or any of the others she likes. 

"It looks like it's going to be a nice day," Jenny says, smiling at Vivian. The older woman gives a 'mm' and looks at her tablet. "What dress do you want me to wear for the meeting?"

"You won't be going to the meeting today." Her words are to the point. "You'll be going to the Prinx of Cats."

Jenny perks up. While she’d only really met them once before, they’d been fun and gentle with her. "Oh! I haven't seen them in a long time - what kind of entertaining...?" 

Vivian glances up at her, then clarifies. "No. You're going with them, because I'm giving you to them. You're going to be a good girl for them, aren't you? You seemed to like them well enough."

Her ears are ringing, and Jenny feels her mouth open, not conscious that she's doing it. "You... Mistress, I -"

"Go pack your things, Jenny. I need to get your papers and medical file ready. You'll be going to their room." Vivian stands up from the breakfast table, talking as calmly as someone who's made a theater reservation. She says something, and Jenny feels her ears ring again, and she doesn't hear what Vivian told her. Her head is full of fog. Next, though, she hears "Don't make a scene, Jenny. _Don't_ disappoint me, or ruin my reputation. You know how I value it." 

Her mouth feels full of cotton. "Yes, Mistress." She stands from the table as well, and goes to pack her things. It doesn't feel like she's moving - she can see her hands packing up her outfits into her suitcase, she's taking her skin care items. Vivian comes over to her and removes her collar - a subtle thing that looks like a fashionable choker. There’s no change in her expression when she does it. She might as well be unzipping a luggage bag. 

It's when she takes it off that Jenny understands that this is real. She wants to cry, but something is stopping her from doing it, and she bites her bottom lip hard. Vivian rolls her eyes and tells her to get dressed, she should wear clothes when she goes to Cats' room. 

So Jenny gets dressed, and she takes what Vivian allows. One or two of her necklaces, her piercings for her ears as well as a couple for the others. She's allowed to take the nipple rings with the metallic chain between them. Cats loved this one. Jenny does remember that, staring at them without seeing. Vivian hands her three envelopes, tells them to take them to the room for Cats - this, too, is an order. The manilla envelope goes into her suitcase, while the smaller ones stay in her hand.

One of the employees - a housekeeper, Jenny thinks - is instructed to take Jenny to the Prinx of Cats' hotel room. The housekeeper isn't allowed far into the apartment at all, only the hallway, and the woman doesn't actually speak to Vivian. She listens, nods, and smiles gently at Jenny, who feels empty. 

When they're down in the lobby, the housekeeper pats Jenny's arm. "The Prinx of Cats doesn't seem _that_ bad," she says. "I mean, there's some people here that I wouldn't want to be in a room with, alone or not! And they always leave us good tips." 

"'m glad they do," Jenny croaks. 

She can't make a scene. Inside, part of her is screaming and crying. Outwardly she looks stunned and pale. Jenny wants to believe that the Prinx of Cats isn't bad, but the truth of the matter is that no one at these meetings is a paragon of virtue. She got to spend, what, a day and some with them? Most of it wasn't talking about themselves, either, and... And what, Jenny thinks to herself. It was a fun time, and that was all. 

The housekeeper opens the door to the hotel room. "Jenny?" 

She looks up at her. For a moment she resents her for taking up further time from when and where she can utterly break down into tears. She is not allowed to make a scene out here. The housekeeper clears her throat. "I'm sorry for how she treated you. We all are. You seem - well, you seem like a really sweet girl." The housekeeper smiles again, tentative. "I bet the Prinx of Cats will be nice. They're sort of like Robin Hood, right?" 

All the resentment flutters away, and Jenny feels awful for feeling it towards her in the first place. "Thank you," she tells her. Jenny thinks about asking who Robin Hood is, but changes her mind. Talking is hard right now, best to get this done with. Her voice is thick, but maybe the woman understands. "Goodbye." 

It's when the door shuts behind her that Jenny realizes she never got her name. 

For whatever reason, that's what sends her over the edge. Or maybe it was because she was finally in private, and allowed to make a scene. Either way, Jenny drops her luggage and goes over to the kingsized bed, and begins to bawl. 

The rooms are not one hundred percent soundproof, but combined with the fact that Jenny curls up under the covers and sobs, screaming into the pillows, it's hard to imagine someone hearing her with ease. She doesn't know how long she cries - didn't see the time she walked into the room, doesn't know how long it took from the penthouse to here - but it has to be for some time. 

At one point she stumbles out of the bed to grab water from the bathroom. There's the courtesy plastic cups, and Jenny fills it up before guzzling it down. In the mirror, she looks like a wreck. Puffy eyes, red cheeks, snotty nose and sweaty. There's a mini bar in the room, but that of course costs money, and would Cats let her or would they be angry?

Jenny feels like they might let her - but they don't even know she's in the room. Or do they? Has Vivian told them what gift is waiting for them? Outside of the bathroom, right in front of the door, is her luggage. If Cats tries to come in, they're going to have those in the way. And for fuck's sake, she never took her shoes off. She just crawled into their bed with them on. That has to be some breach of... etiquette or something. Jenny doesn't know. And she didn’t even put the envelopes on the bedside table, just left them in her pocket. They’re less wrinkled than she might have thought, and unsealed. If she wanted, she could read them. Except Cats might know she did...

She has to make a good impression on them. Jenny looks away from the envelopes and focuses on another task. With a heave, she picks up the luggage and moves it further into the room, where Cats won't trip over them right away. Second, she takes her heels off, but leaves her stockings on. She likes the feel of them, always has, and Jenny wipes at her eyes as one hand pets the nylon. 

Important things done, Jenny curls up in the bed again. She doesn't know which side Cats sleeps on. After her years with Vivian, she knew the woman, truly had a grasp of what she liked and didn't - and now she doesn't know what she's facing. Sure, Cats was fun - but one interaction with someone does not a relationship make. She had a decent time with Cantrip, had an okay time with Shadow Smith, not to mention the numerous others.

Over the course of the day, she knows she cries a lot. At other times, she thinks she drifts off to sleep, exhausted. For most of it she's under the covers, curled into a little ball, keeping her ears open. What if Vivian changes her mind? Rare and unlikely, but possible, right? She could. It would be wonderful if she did. Jenny wouldn't be uprooted from life and what she knew. Or… maybe she could leave the hotel room and try to find Rosa. Jenny knows the Technocrat well enough. Maybe she’ll take her.

She lays there, broken hearted, and sniffles under the blanket. Once or twice she hears the rumble of footsteps outside the door of the hallway, and she tries to listen, but nobody knocks at the door to Cats' room.

Jenny is half-sniffling, half-asleep, when the door to the room does finally open. She doesn't register it at first, because maybe she's imagined it because she's thinking about it so hard. Yet when she gives a hard sniffle, she hears someone go "Who's there?" Half cautious, half demand. 

Jenny chokes on a sob and shivers. The moment of truth. "It's... It's Jenny?" She pulls the blankets down and sits up, trying to meet Cats' eyes. She has to look like a mess to them. Messy hair, red eyes and face, not even any makeup on. Vivian would be very disappointed in her.

"Jenny?" Cats sounds more surprised than anything, but they close the door behind them and flip the deadbolt. "Oh, the blonde... I haven't seen you in a while. What are you doing here? Do you need a tissue?" They step forward, looking puzzled, not angry. 

They look about the same as the last time she saw them. Average height, brown hair with pale skin and a smattering of freckles across their nose and cheekbones. They’ve got their typical black outfit on - grey pants, black belt, black shirt, and a jacket partially buttoned. Jenny sees they’re wearing their gloves, remembers the feel of the leather of them on her hips, on her chest. 

She hopes that it’s not obvious that it stings a bit that they seem to have forgotten her name. Jenny takes the pillow nearest her and hugs it to her chest. "I..." She squeezes it harder. "Miss - Ms. Montclair told me to come here. And wait for you." She swallows. Jenny points to the envelopes on the bedside table. "She... She said I'm, u-um, I'm yours now."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And here, we properly meet the Prinx of Cats - a trash mammal of a person and lapsed goth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No major trigger warnings that I can think of for this chapter, although Jenny does remember a little bit of a previous sexual encounter between her and the Prinx of Cats.

Whatever she'd expected their reaction to be, this wasn't it. The times when she wasn't crying, Jenny had been thinking of different things the Prinx of Cats might expect from her. She had been trying to prepare for anything. For all she knew, Cats might tell her that Vivian told them at the meeting, and they wanted her to prove herself right then and there. 

What Cats actually does is blanche, their eyes going big. They blink at her a few times, their gaze going between her and the envelopes she's pointing to. "O-oh. Well, um, welcome aboard?" They come closer, clearing their throat. "Sorry, I just - really don't know what to say?"

Cats reaches out and pets her hair, which feels nice. During the threesome with them and Vivian, Cats had enjoyed putting their hands in her hair when she went down on them. Jenny closes her eyes. Well, it sounds like she's going with them. It makes up for the sting of them not remembering her name right away.

Jenny remembers the names and the powers of everyone in the league. It's something she's good at.

She's not being entirely fair, she thinks. Cats only really met her once, and they probably weren't thinking about names. Besides, if she's honest, most people in the League of Winter likely think of her as 'the blonde'. 

Cats takes their hand away from her hair and says "I'll have a look at those now." 

For a lack of anything else she can do, Jenny picks up a pillow and hugs it to her chest. She watches Cats pick up the first envelope. Jenny watches their face, trying to decipher what they're feeling, what they're reading. What did Vivian write? The paper is too thick to see what could be on it. When they've finished, it goes back into the envelope and placed into an inner pocket of their jacket. The second letter is picked up, unsealed, and Cat's face grows hard. Like the first letter, it goes back into the envelope and into their pocket. They don't look at her for a little bit after finishing it. 

"Was I bad?" she asks. She has to break the silence. It's too much. "Is that why she's giving me away?"

Cats' smile is more like a grimace. "No, nothing about you being bad. Just that she lost interest in you - I'm sorry?" They reach out and rub her shoulder when she cough-sobs, her face scrunched up. "You said your name was Jenny, right?"

She feels them sit next to her, and Jenny opens her eyes to look at them. Their eyes are soft, gentle. "Yes, Mx. Cats. I'm Jenny." Her shoulders slump a little bit. "If she - if I wasn't bad, maybe then I could try to get her interested in me again?" Even as she says it, it sounds foolish. Like something a child would say. 

"I don't think that's a good idea," Cats says quickly. Their eyes scan the room a moment, and Jenny sees the cogs in their head speeding up. "It would be extremely discourteous of me to refuse a gift -" and they purse their lips together - "like this. Downright rude in fact. I doubt it would be taken well if I tried to give you back. We'll have to leave in the morning, I'm afraid, I have my own affairs to look after." 

Jenny doesn't know if the room is bugged or not, but it makes sense that Cats and the other villains would have their suspicions. This isn't one of the things that Jenny would have been let in on. Part of her had hoped that it had been bugged - that Vivian would see how distraught she was and decide to take her back. 

Cats is right, though. She's been told to go with them, to behave for them, and not to damage Vivian's reputation. Jenny knows, too, that if she'd tried to go back to Vivian and beg her to take her back, Vivian would be angry. At least Cats is being nice about this. They're being nice about Jenny losing the only thing she's ever known. 

"You're probably right," she says, closing her eyes. "And the weather - it doesn't. Look like it's gonna - gonna storm..." 

A storm had grounded everyone on Vivian's island for a couple of days, and Vivian had decided to take that time to get to know the Prinx of Cats better. Vivian's favored method of getting to know someone better was sex, and it was that time that Jenny had really met the Prinx of Cats. It had been an enjoyable time. Cats had actually wanted her to have a good time, and she could tell. 

Their voice is gentle. Cats puts their hand on the small of her back. "It's not surprising you're upset, this must be extremely abrupt and chaotic for you. Would you like a hug?"

A hug sounds amazing. "Yes, p-please. Thank you for being so p-patient with me." Cats takes her in their arms, and Jenny wiggles a little in them, wrapping her arms around them in return. Their hand pets her hair again and she smells the scent they wear. Perfume, cologne? She never found out. She'll probably find out. At least it's a nice smell, and Cats takes care of their hygiene. "I don't know what to call you," she says, muffled in their shoulder. "I'll - I'll be good for you." 

They squeeze her gently. "No need to thank me," they say. "You're sweet, Jenny. You can call me Cats for the time being. When you feel a little better, tell me, I'll be needing to get ready for bed and all that. It was an intense day." 

She can imagine. The meetings are always tense, but Vivian had her reasons for them, stating that they needed some kind of alliance. They needed to have each other's backs, even if that meant unhappy truces. The League of Winter had kept many of its members out of jail, and in more than one case, broke their members out. 

It takes her a few minutes to compose herself. Jenny wipes at her eyes and looks at the wet spot on their shoulder with shame. Cats won't want a crybaby. "When you're done, I'll do that too." She clears her throat. "Do you want... do you want me to get your things ready? Your pajamas?" 

"If you don't mind, then okay." Cats smiles at her, but there's something odd about it. Maybe they're concerned? "They're in the suitcase over there, the white flannel set." 

Something she can do! She doesn't like just sitting there and crying. Sitting there like a whiny crybaby. Jenny shivers and ignores it, opening up Cats' suitcase and finding the white flannel. Jenny had never given much thought to what they might wear at night - if anything - but a pair of simple white flannel wouldn't have been what crossed her mind. She takes them over to Cats, holding the pajamas out. "I can put away your clothes if you'd like?"

"I'll do that in the morning," they tell her. They pat her hand and stand up with the pajamas. 

Jenny watches them undress. It's not like they haven't seen each other naked before, and she sees that they still don't bother with bras. Then again, their chest is small enough that they don't need one. Jenny finds herself looking to see if there are any new scars or tattoos. There are no new scars that she can tell, but if Cats added something new to the sleeves on their arms, she won't be able to notice at a glance. 

She had been shocked and excited the first time she'd seen their tattoos. Brickwork, up and down both their arms, with ivy and vines atop it. Here and there, among the green and red, are birds, books, hidden objects. The tattoos start to fade away nearing their wrists, but not before ending at the back of their hands with a lock on one hand, and a key on the other. 

Jenny had been fascinated by them. Her fingers had skittered up and down their arms, following the twining ivy. There had been a time, later, when Vivian had left to handle some things outside, and Jenny had just laid on the bed with Cats, focusing on their tattoos. Cats had been amused, but tolerant of it. 

Cats couldn't have known that it was a test that Vivian was giving them. Before she'd left, Vivian had told Cats that they could fuck Jenny some more but weren't allowed to hurt her or leave bruises. Jenny was a way for Vivian to see if people would obey her orders. That was something Vivian Montclair wanted above all else - for the villains to obey her, whether she was in the room or not. 

Dressed again, Cats turns to her. "You should put on your nightclothes too, but if you'd prefer to do that when I'm not looking, it's alright. I'll close the bathroom door behind me." With that, they leave her alone. 

Jenny watches the bathroom door close behind them. It wasn't an order they gave her. A suggestion. 

She still isn’t sure what to make of all this. She had expected… what? Cats to be angry? To demand to go see Vivian? To start questioning her? Whatever it was, it wasn’t for them to be gentle and to pet and cuddle her. 

All the same, she has to put her pajamas on. Jenny opens up her suitcase and pulls out her nightgown, a lacy black thing that Vivian loved on her. Jenny likes it too, and not just because Vivian liked it on her - it’s soft against her skin and doesn’t make her too warm at night. She can rest easily in it. 

Next to where the nightgown had been is the envelope that Jenny hasn’t looked at yet. Inside it could be some hint as to who she’d been, back before. Jenny looks down at it. Maybe this is a test. Jenny takes her clothes and folds them up, setting them near the envelope but not covering it. 

Cats doesn’t linger in the bathroom. They yawn and tilt their head to the right, then the left, trying to get rid of a crick in their neck. "That nightgown is nice on you, you're very good looking. But I bet you know that already." If they’re lusting over her that moment, she can’t hear it in their voice. 

She does know, but it doesn't change the fact that it's nice to hear. She smiles at them, and Cats returns it, stepping aside so she can freshen up.

Taking care of herself before bed is a military affair. Jenny washes her hands, then her face, moving on to brushing her teeth. At the end of it, she feels more human, and her face isn't strawberry red anymore. She's tired, and she's looked better, but it doesn't matter at the moment. She'll be going to bed soon, and it doesn't seem like Cats is going to expect her to service them. 

They have to leave tomorrow morning, and despite liking travel, she knows she needs to be rested and have energy for it. She can't just hide away in the bathroom. She'll need to go back out and go to bed. 

In the bathroom, like other hotel bathrooms Jenny has been in, there are little toiletries. A mini bar of soap. Shampoo and conditioner. She looks around. Washcloths, too, and Jenny decides she wants to take these things with her. It isn't like other people haven't done it. And it isn't like Vivian couldn't damn well afford to replace it. Jenny grabs the body lotion and pops the cap, rubbing it up and down her arms. Maybe Cats will notice that her skin smells nice, will notice how soft it is. She was their type before. Maybe she still is. 

She closes the cap and snatches the washcloth, the soap and other little things, and leaves the bathroom. This could be the last time she's ever on this island, and maybe it's stupid to want some kind of memory of the place. Still, Jenny tries not to look embarrassed as she places them into a small pocket in her suitcase. 

Cats has already climbed under the covers. They're watching her, a bemused expression on their face, and Jenny feels childish under their gaze. The feeling doesn't improve any, either, when Jenny clears her throat and asks "Can... I sleep in bed with you? I won't take up a lot of room."

"Yes, of course. There's plenty space." They pull down the covers, patting the sheets next to them. 

Jenny climbs in next to them. Cats lays down, looking over at her for a moment before looking up at the ceiling. Cautiously, ready to pull away if it's ill-received, Jenny reaches out her arm and places it around their waist. They don't seem upset by it, so Jenny snuggles closer to them. After a moment, they relax, and Jenny watches their face. 

They fall asleep quickly, which Jenny assumes is a good sign. The Technocrat told her once that if someone falls asleep near you, it means they trust you. Their face relaxes, and Jenny sees the ghosts of freckles on their skin. 

Jenny listens, keeping one ear out for a knock on the door. For Vivian to show up, saying that she'd made a mistake, she could never get rid of her darling Jenny. Or telling her how good she was, that she'd passed Vivian's test. If she falls asleep, will she miss the knock on the door? Jenny tries to stay half-awake, afraid that if she's in a deep sleep, she will miss it. 

No knock comes.


End file.
